OMB decision on St. Joseph’s Villa condos partial victory
Craig Campbell
http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...artial-victory
DUNDAS An Ontario Municipal Board decision includes partial victories for both St. Joseph’s Villa and opponents of two proposed condominium buildings
In a written interim decision released last week, OMB vice-chair Jan Seaborn dismissed an appeal of Hamilton city council’s rejection of “Building A,” on the south end of the villa property near Walnut Grove, and allowed an appeal of commercial and residential “Building B” adjacent to Governor’s Road and Ogilvie Street.
The approved application includes a holding provision “that will require improvements be made to Governor’s Road prior to the development proceeding.”
But it’s not clear when those road improvements, identified as necessary safety measures prior to approval of the additional residential building, will actually be completed. A 10-year capital budget forecast includes $3.7 million worth of work on Governor’s between Main Street and Huntingwood Avenue, potentially in 2015.
Seaborn encouraged the city to begin road improvements as soon as possible, because the project has the desirable attributes of seniors housing and commercial services geared to seniors next to a long-term care facility.
In her decision, Seaborn concluded that both proposed buildings generally conform to the Town of Dundas Official Plan, by providing intensification and optimization of existing resources.